In laparoscopic surgery, the surgeon performs the operation through small holes using long instruments and observing the internal anatomy with an endoscope camera. The endoscope is conventionally held by a camera assistant since the surgeon must perform the operation using both hands. The surgeon performance is largely dependent on the camera position relative to the instruments and on a stable image shown at the monitor; also the picture shown must be in the right orientation. The main problem is the difficulty for the assistant to keep the endoscope in the right spatial position, to hold the endoscope steadily, keeping the scene in the right orientation. To overcome these problems, several new technologies have been developed, using robots to hold the endoscope while the surgeon performs the procedure, e.g., Lapman, Endoassist etc. But these technologies are expensive, difficultly installed, uncomfortable to use, limiting the dexterity of the surgeon and having physical dimension much bigger that all operating tools. Relatively to the required action, they also move in big bounds with several arms movement. Another robot, LER (which was developed by the TIMC-GMCAO Laboratory) US. Patent application No. 200/6100501 Consists of a compact camera-holder robot that rests directly on the patient's abdomen and an electronic box containing the electricity supply and robot controllers. LER has relatively small dimensions but has a 110 mm diameter base ring that must be attached, or be very close to patient skin. This ring occupies place over the patient body limiting the surgeon activities: choosing the place of the other trocars, changing the surgeon to usual way of making the procedure, forcing sometimes the setup process to be as long as 40 minutes. Also the LER has only 3 degrees of freedom and have no ability to control the orientation of the picture shown to surgeon (the LER can not rotate the endoscope around its longitudinal axis).
Reference is made now to FIGS. 1a, 1b, 1c, presenting a schematic illustration of the prior art which describes these technologies.
Laparoscopic surgery is becoming increasingly popular with patients because the scars are smaller and their period of recovery is shorter. Laparoscopic surgery requires special training of the surgeon or gynecologist and the theatre nursing staff. The equipment is often expensive and not available in all hospitals. During laparoscopic surgery it is often required to shift the spatial placement of the endoscope in order to present the surgeon with the optimal view. Conventional laparoscopic surgery makes use of either human assistants that manually shift the instrumentation or alternatively robotic automated assistants (such as JP patent No. 06063003).
However, even the improved technologies are still limiting the dexterity of the surgeon and failing to provide four degrees of freedom. Another disadvantage of those technologies is the lack of ability to control the spatial position of an endoscope tube to any orientation during said laparoscopic surgery, such that the surgeon reaches any desired area within the working envelope in operated body.
Therefore, there is still a long felt need for a camera holder that would allow holding and controlling the endoscope steadily without limiting the dexterity of the surgeon and that will provide four degrees of freedom. Furthermore, there is still a long felt need for a camera holder that will provide the ability to control the spatial position of an endoscope tube to any orientation during said laparoscopic surgery, such that the surgeon reaches any desired area within the working envelope in operated body.